This invention relates to a gliding board, such as a snowboard, wakeboard, or other similar device for gliding on a surface.
Snowboards that are designed for use by adults and that have a relatively short overall length are known, for example from U.S. Patent Publication 2006/0267298 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,960. Moreover, snowboards having a relatively low effective edge length to waist width ratio were offered for sale at least as early as 1995, such as the Morrow Lunch Tray 29, which has an effective edge length to waist ratio of about 4.05 (using lengths in centimeters) and a waist width of about 25.6 cm. In addition, snowboards having areas with different bending characteristics along the length of the board are generally known, e.g., from U.S. Pat. No. 6,499,758; U.S. Patent Publication 2004/0084878 and U.S. Patent Publication 2007/0170694. These board designs tend to stiffen the board in areas under the rider's feet as compared to adjacent areas fore and aft of the binding mounting region. For example, as can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 4 of U.S. Patent Publication 2004/0084878 and FIGS. 1 and 4 of U.S. Patent Publication 2007/0170694, the thickness of the board is greater in the binding mounting regions (reference numbers 10 and 12 for U.S. Patent Publication 2004/0084878, and reference numbers 16 and 18 U.S. Patent Publication 2007/0170694). Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,499,758 has increased structural strength in the board at areas under the rider's feet. See col. 5, lines 51-57 and FIGS. 1 and 16, for example.